Apparatus and process for the production of colored designs on leather



Jan. 12 ,1926. 1,569,562

w. MooG APPARATUS AND PRocEss Foa THE PRODUCTION oF coLoREn DESIGNS on 'LEATHER Filed May 2i, 19.25

'I l 72 ZV Ven far.'

Patented Jan.l 12, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLY MOOG, 01? ARZHEIM, NEAR LANDAU, GERMANY.

APPARATUS AND PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF COLORED DESIGNS 0N LEATHER.

Application led May 21, 1925. Serial No. 31,965.

To all whom z't may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLY Moos, citizen of Germany, residing at Kreuzmuhle, Arzheim, near Landau, Pfalz, Bavaria, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus and Processes for the Production of Colored Designs on Leather, of which the following is a speci- I fcation.

A number of processes are known for enabling colored designs to be produced on leather. Apart from the printing processes of the letterpress printing variety, there is, in particular, a process which consists in covering moistened leather with Athe face side of an overlay coated with an impression in water-soluble color, and maintaining them under fessure for a short time.

Anot er process consists in printing the veining or design on leather with fat previous to staining, the leather being then stained in the ordinary way, after which the y fat is removed with benzine, or other solvent having a similar action, and finally, the leather is stained again with the same or with a different color. Attempts have been made also to produce colored designs on leather by chemical means, the stainings produced with the aid of ferrous sulphate being. discharged partially by using a stencil impregnated with oxalic acid.

These methods, however, have not 'attained any appreciable importance in the art of coloring leather, partly owing to the cumbrous character of the processes, while on the other hand, some of them, at least, are attended with the defect common to all printing processes, namely, that the applied color covers the background and, consequently, masks more or less completely the special appearance of the leather.

This applies also to a more recent process, in which the leather is polished or roughened uniformly before applying the color design by means of a printing block or stencil, and is smoothed, or otherwise treated mechanically, after the color has been applied.

A special defect of all these processes is that they do not give a fast dyeing that is appropriate to leather, and that the leather so treated loses its characteristic properties.

In order to avoid. these defects it is essential, in decorating leather, that the usual leather-staining liquids (solutions of aniline dyes or dyewoods, stains, bleaching agents and the-like) should be allowed to act, in

excess, on the leather, for a short time, in the usual way, the surplus color and the like being removed by rinsing after fixation. The processes known hitherto for producing polychrome leather, however, do not admit of such action and subsequent rinsing or washing.

According to this invention, success is attained by applying to the' leather-which is spread out on an elastic backing as uniform in character as 4possible--a stencil the openings in which correspond with the design to be produced. Such a stencil may y be replaced by stamps or similar means which, on being pressed on to the leather,- cover the latter in such a wa as to leave exposed the parts to be staine After the stencils or the substitutes therefore have been brought into firm contact with the leather, the liquid dyestuif, stain, or the like is applied to, or poured over, the leather, in excess. The dyestufl" is then left to act on the leather until the latter is stained to a sufficient depth, whereupon the superlluous dyestufl or` stain is removed, and the leather is washed with a suitable liquid, such as clean water, until all the excess of dyestulf present has been washed away. Preferably the pressure on the stencil or the like is maintained unaltered during the washing process. After the washing liquid has been removed, the stencil is lifted, and

Athe leather is put through the further dress.

ing processes re uired in the case of various kinds of leat er.

Apart from producing staining effects which are pleasing to the eye, this process affords the special advantage that it can be carried out quickly and with the aid of suitable appliances, on a purely manufacturing scale. By means of the process,'poly chrome designs can be roduced on leather by the successive use o stencils of suitable shape and of different colors or shades of color. Similarly the process enables predyed leather to be decorated with particolored designs, or color eifects to be obv tained by discharging, bleaching, etc.

A device suitable for carrying out the process is illustrated, by way of example, in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure l shows the device in side elevation, Figure 2 is a section of same taken at ri ht angles to Figure 1 whilst Figures 3 an 4 represent details in sectional elevation and on a larger scale.

Two bearingpedestals a and b carry a trough e, provided with'trunnions c and d and adapted to be rocked by crank mechanism f and g. The end walls lof the trough m igure 3), the overlying leather n to be decorated, a stencil o, a wire gauze p of fine mesh, a cross-spiral fabric g of strong wire, and a cover 1' of hard wood or other suitable material.

The stencil o may be replaced, as shown in Figure 4, by a stamp s, the figured face of which is pressed against the leather. The cross-spiral fabric g may be replaced by any other suitable construction.

The lstaining liquid and washing agent are fed into the trough-e through a lateral channel and outlets t are provided at the ends of the trough.

After the rails lc together wth'the cover r have been removed, the strong rubber pneumatic pad m-which is left in place in subsequent working-is inflated and laid on the bottom of the Vtrough e, as shown in Figure 3, and the leather n is laid on said pad, the side to be stained bein upwards. The stencil o is then lad'on, ollowed by the elastic insetsp and permitting the passa e of the liquid, and ally the-cover 1' is p aced on top. The pneumatic pad .m is provided with 4 flanges m', which are pressed tightly against supports by suitable means vsuch as screws, so that none of the liquid can find its way under the pad. The press rails lc may be secured to the cover r.

By placing the butterfly nuts l on the bolts i and drawing-them t1 ht, the stencil o is pressed rmly against t e leather ln., so that the subsequently admitted staining and washing liquids cannot penetrate between the stencil o, or stamps s, and the leather n.

The trough e is next filled to the requireddepth with the staining liquid, and the crank mechanism f and g is set in operation, thereby causing the trough e to rock and the staining liquid to liow backwards "and forf wards. The liquid is retained in the trough opened and the escaping stai l 'replaced by the washing liquid, tl:

dueto the upturned cavities `e.

After the staining liquid has acted on the leatherl ln, for a suilicient time,`-a cock t is liquid is e mechamsm-'fiend 'g being set in motion again. Finally, the washing liquid is removed, the

tension means lc and l are loosened and the leather n is taken out of the apparatus.

Although .the method of using the described device may appear somewhat cumbrous, the pressing of the stencil o on to the leather fn, and its removal from the apparatus are really effected very quickly. If,

however, it be desired to accelerate these operations, the device can be modilied by combining the stencil, the overlying fabrics and cover into an integral unit, adapted to be raised and lowered in a vertical uide, the pressure on the leather being e ected, for example, after the manner of a togglelever press.

A device equally suitable for carr ing out the process comprises a drum on which the leather to be treated is stretched. -Thereupon, one or more stencils are placed over the leather and pressed on to it. The drumdips into a trough and is adapted to turn on its horizontal axis. The dyem or staining liquor or the like is run into t e trough, indils afterwards replaced by the washing qAnother embodiment of the device consists of a flat, plane or arched frame, on which the leather is stretched in a vertical or sloping plane. After the stencil or the like has been applied and fixed in position, the dyeing or staining liquor, discharge or the like, is centrifuged, sprayed or otherleat er. to be decorated; applying an excess of dyestuif on the exposed portions of the leather; removing the excess dyestuf from the leather; and then relieving the pressure and removing the leather from the stencil.

3. A device for producing colored designs on leather comprising a trough; a pneumatic pad in said Vtrough and u on which the leather to be decorated is p aced, said leather bein adapted vto have a stencil conforming to t e design placed thereon; means for forcing the stencil tightly on said leather; and means for rockin the trou h in order that the color shall y entire surface of the stencil and lintothe openings therein to thus color the exposed portions of the leather.

4. A device for producing colored de- III) ow over t e 5 signs on leather comprising a-trough adapt- I ed to receive the leather to be decorated; a

stencil for said leather, said stencil corres onding to the desired design to be prouced on the leather; means for forcing the stencil tightly on. -said leather;l and means for rocking the trough in order that the color shall ilow over the entire surface oi the stencil and into the openings therein to thus color the exposed portions of the leather.

5. A device for producing colored designs on leather comprising a trough adapted to receive the leatherto be decorated; a pattern for said leather; and means for rocking the trough in order that the-color shall flow over the entire exposed surfacesof the leather to be stained to thus color the exposed portions of the leather.

6. A device for producing colored designs on leather com rising a trough adapted to receive the leather to be decorated; a stencil for said leather; a plurality of elastic insets adafpted to be placed on said stencil; means or forcing the insets and stencil tightly on said leather; and means for rocking the trough in order that the color shall distribute itself through the insets and into the opening in the stencil to thus color the ex osed portions of the leather. A device for producing colored designs on leather com rising a trough adapted to receive the leat er to be decorated; a pneumatic pad in said trough and upon which the leather to be decorated is placed; a stencil for said leather; a plurality of elastic insets adapted to be placed on said stencil; means for forcing the insets and stencil tightly on said leather; and means for rock- `decorated is placed;

ing the trough in order that the color shall distribute itself through the insets and into the openings in the stencil to thus color the exposed portions of the leather. 8. A device for producing colored designs' on leather comprising a pivotally mounted vtrough adapted to receive the leather to be decorated; a pneumatic pad secured in said trough and upon which the leather to be a stencil for said leather; a plurality of elastic insets ada ted to be placed-on said stencil; means'for orcing the insets and stencil tightly on said leather; and a crank mechanism adapted to rock the trough in orderthat the color shall distribute itselfthrough the insets and into the openings in the stencil to thus color the exposed portions of the leather.

9. A device for producing colored designs on leather comprising a pivotally mounted trough adapted to receive the leather to be decorated; a pneumatic pad secured in said trough and upon which the leather -to be decorated is placed; a stencil for said leather; a plurality of elastic insets adapted to be placed on said stencil; means including bolts for forcing the insets and stencil tightly on said leather and on the pneumatic ad; and a crank mechanism adapted to roc the trough in order that the color shall distribute itself through the insets and into the openings in the stencil to thus color th .exposed portions of the leather.

In testimony whereof I have ailixed my signature.

' WILLY MOOG. 

